Slacklining is a sport or physical activity that takes place on a narrow strip of flat webbing extending between two anchor points, such as large trees, rocks or any other suitable anchor points. The webbing is stretched to support the weight of a user standing thereon, although the webbing is not necessarily stretched so as to be rigidly taut like a tightrope.
The webbing on which slacklining is practiced is referred to as a “slackline”. It can be made of synthetic fibers, such as nylon or others, woven to form a strong fabric. A slackline is generally about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in width. A slackline is thus considerably larger than a tightrope and this allows the weight of a user to be distributed over a much larger area. A slackline is often positioned horizontally and relatively close to the ground surface, for instance at a height of about 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm). The section extending between the two opposite anchor points is often about 10 to 12 feet (305 to 365 cm) in length. Variants exist. For instance, some users can practice slacklining higher from the ground surface and/or using longer slacklines. Some slacklines may not be set horizontally.
When slacklining, users may be simply standing on the slackline. Others may combine various movements such as walking, standing on only one foot, pivoting, etc. Acrobatic moves or stunts can be done by experienced users. Users may adjust the tension in the slackline to vary the amplitude of the sagging, the bouncing effect and other characteristics. The tension can be adjusted using a ratchet mechanism or the like. Variants are possible as well.
A slackline may be installed outdoors or indoors. Although slacklining is mostly practiced above a ground surface on which the user can stand, a slackline can also extend over a water surface.
Slacklining is currently a sport where users interact with the slackline either with shoes or barefooted. This limits the number of possible actions that can be accomplished on a slackline. More specifically, no additional piece of equipment specifically designed for use between the slackline and the user's feet during slacklining is available.
Some sports or physical activities are part of a category that can be referred to as boardsports. Boardsports involve specialized boards as primary pieces of equipment and their users stand in an upright position above these boards. Surfing, skateboarding, windsurfing and snowboarding, to name just a few, are examples of boardsports. Other examples exist as well. The feet of the users may or may not be strapped onto the board, depending on the kind of boardsport and/or the kind of boards chosen by a particular user.
Balance boards also involve a board as a primary piece of equipment. Balance boards are designed for use on cylindrical or spherical objects. Thus, unlike in boardsports such as surfing, skateboarding, windsurfing and snowboarding, the user does not travel over a given distance but remains essentially at the same location throughout the entire duration of the physical activity. The user's body must stay balanced enough to keep the board's tips from touching the ground surface and to prevent the user from falling off the board. Balance boards are often used for leisure, balance training, athletic training, brain development and physical therapy, to name just a few.
Using a balance board on a slackline has not been suggested yet, even if such equipment would represent a breakthrough in slacklining Also, using a balance board on a slackline has its own challenges since the board must have certain characteristics and features to interact with a slackline, as well the ground surface, in a proper way. For instance, a slackline balance board would need to be relatively stable when the user is on the slackline, easy to use and to position with reference to the slackline, and have a relatively simple and inexpensive construction. It must also be able to engage the ground surface and withstand impacts, if applicable. These desirable characteristics have not been found hitherto. Moreover, one cannot simply use an existing board, for instance one designed for other boardsports, and use it on a slackline as a balance board. The same is also true for existing balance boards. Since they are designed for use on cylindrical or spherical objects, they cannot address the challenges specific to slacklining